DECATUR, Ala., Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Willo Products Company, LLC, the trusted leader in the design, engineering, and sale of innovative detention locking systems, announced the launch of the Next Generation Willo Wedge, a revolutionary swinging door locking system platform designed to elevate facility security and improve safety. This cutting-edge product will be showcased at the American Correctional Association's 154th Congress of Correction in Nashville, Tennessee, from August 16-18.
The Willo Wedge is tailored for swinging door retrofits, enabling facilities to replace vulnerable locks and seamlessly upgrade to a Grade 1 Maximum Security locking system. The Next Generation Willo Wedge brings a host of new capabilities specifically engineered to address the most pressing lock-safety challenges faced by correctional facility staff:
- Interlocking Cover: The new patent-pending, tamper-resistant design features interlocking covers with no exposed screws. Combined with carriage bolt attachments and an astragal overlapping the covers, these features reduce tampering and unauthorized access to the locking system components.
- Lock Cylinder Floating Plate: A patent-pending floating plate behind the lock cylinder tightens gaps that could be used to hide contraband or damage the lock.
- Improved LED Light Components: Superior LED projection is achieved with a single-piece light bracket and a rigid foam backer, which prevents liquid intrusion. This provides enhanced visibility of the tamper alarm.
- Stainless Steel Construction: Optional complete stainless-steel construction ensures the product remains free from rust and corrosion, even in humid environments or areas with frequent moisture exposure. This maintains the Wedge’s integrity and appearance over time, eliminating the need for painting.
- Self-fixturing design: New mounting approach reduces the need for welding and grinding, shortening installation time by at least 30 minutes per unit. This leads to faster installations and lower labor costs, optimizing project timelines and budgets.
These innovations build on the decade-plus history of the Willo Wedge, which was designed to renovate existing doors and frames in correctional facilities. By replacing vulnerable locks with the Willo Wedge, facilities can enhance overall safety and operational efficiency without the need for extensive door and lock replacements.
Brian Foss, VP Product Development, highlighted the significance of these advancements: “The Next Generation Willo Wedge is a result of hearing from our customers about the ongoing challenges being faced by corrections professionals. By adding additional tamper-resistant features to our existing industry-leading design, we are responding to these challenges by providing a solution that continues to innovate, not only enhancing security but also significantly improving safety.”
Willo invites attendees to visit Booth #933 at the ACA’s 154th Congress of Correction to experience the Next Generation Willo Wedge firsthand and discover how it can revolutionize their facility’s safety and security.
For more information about Willo and its industry-leading cell door locking systems, visit www.willoproducts.com.
About Willo Products Company: Founded in 1945, Willo Products provides innovative, high-quality, engineered solutions and services for the detention industry that improve the security and safety environment within correctional facilities, protecting the lives of the residents and staff. Today, Willo Products locking devices, hollow metal products, and other detention equipment are in use in more than 1,500 jails in the United States, Puerto Rico, and various countries. The company provides new locking device upgrades and retrofits, replacement control panels, and The Willo Wedge, the industry’s only patented locking system, to State, County, and Municipal facilities. Willo also provides replacement parts, service, and preventative maintenance solutions.
Press Contact: Jamie Britnell
Phone number: 256-353-7161
Email: jbritnell@willoproducts.com
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a86577e7-a863-4c44-aef7-8513b76d6f8e
